For example, a large tract of the Bennelong electorate (currently a Liberal seat) has a glaring "liveability deficit" as a result of overdevelopment and overpopulation. I recently drove along the so-called Pacific "Highway" between Chatswood and Hornsby and it was so badly congested that it took two hours to travel only 10km. The declining liveability of Australia's big cities has caused unexpected economic ramifications, such as 7000 British people per annum deciding to return to the UK permanently.

The main reason they gave for leaving was the appallingly bad traffic congestion and the adverse impact it was having on their family and work/life balance (BBC News, May 20). It is about time our federal government acknowledged that, in their quest to foster good relationships with political donors, developers and 'captains of industry', they don't have a mandate to inflict poorly planned population growth on the ordinary citizens of this country.

Peter Sherman, Aranda

The Coalition's election slogan can be easily dismissed when you consider: jobs at what rates, growth at what price?

Gary Frances, Bexley, NSW

This Federal election looks like it will be close. A major reason is that Malcolm and the Liberals are lacking a detailed direction for the future. Shorten and Labor are kicking more goals along the way on health and education.

Australians will vote for the leader and party that gives us clear direction and confidence in the future. Projects and policies with vision are required. What about a VFT financed largely by overseas companies to inspire us?

Come on, National Party, what a great contribution to regional development this would be! Australians will pay more taxes, eg, such as a GST increase, if they can see it develops infrastructure and increases economic growth.

Gareth Rees, Casey

I find it amazing that pollies can get travel allowance to stay in Canberra in a property owned directly or indirectly by themselves. I seem to recall an RAAF officer posted to the USA being court martialled for similar behaviour.

I now find they can claim certain expenditures related to this house as tax deductions. I'm currently listening to Mathias Cormann excusing this by arguing that the rules applying to pollies are set by independent agencies (ATO and remuneration tribunal) and these agencies should not be subject to direction by pollies. I'm sure no-one in the public would be concerned if the pollies simply tell the agencies to co-ordinate the two rules and to register an opinion that they are overly generous and inconsistent with the need to moderate federal expenses.

Bill Blair, McKellar

Simon Tatz (Letters, May 19) is amusingly merciless on Greg Ellis's view (Letters, May 17) that a New World Order schemed to remove Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. It would however be a pity if readers were led by Tatz's lampoon to conclude there are no US pro-Zionist networks with extraordinary influence.

The American anthropologist Janine Wedel has identified a 'shadow elite' of networks who have, over decades, pursued their agendas in multiple contexts to achieve policy outcomes without the public input appropriate to a democracy.

Exploiting features of the American political system, these networks have at key times effectively privatised the making of public policy. A pro-Zionist network, whose past key players included Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz and Douglas Feith, produced an agenda underpinning the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Prosecuted by the likes of Cheney and Rumsfeld, this agenda was to replace Saddam Hussein by a democratic Iraq, isolating Iran and bolstering the security of Israel. We have seen the outcome.

Nonetheless, it seems the network's members remain committed to "coercive diplomacy" against Iran. It will be interesting to see if, and how, this thinking is progressed under the hawkish Hillary Clinton or the unpredictable Donald Trump. Incidentally, Greg Ellis is correct to refer to a US Zionist connection, rather than a US Jewish one, as suggested by Tatz.

As mapped by Janine Wedel, the above network includes non-Jewish people, and there are many Jews and descendants of Jews who find its generally pro-Likud views repugnant.

Paul Feldman , Macquarie

Like many thoughtful Canberrans, I read both Ian Dunlop's challenge to our electoral blindness re climate change ("Citizens awake – we are being taken for fools", Times2, May 25, p5) and Andrew Blakers' advocacy of cheap energy storage via pumped hydro-energy storage ("How Australians can eliminate coal-fired power by 200", Times2, May 25, p5).

Again, like many thoughtful Canberrans, I am frustrated that we seem paralysed in our response to our existential climate threat and to solutions such as pumped hydro-energy storage.

But then I think about the most recent Four Corners program (May 21), about the mostly concealed corporate donations to our political parties, including those from fossil fuel-related industries, and I nod my head. Perhaps if our political parties and their governments will do nothing, we need to approach the companies in which the large majority of us have shares.

I challenge CT readers to think about the last time they took responsibility for their shares and attended a relevant annual general meeting. I ask, how many of us have spoken up as bravely as did Stephen Mayne on that Four Corners program?

Jill Sutton, Watson

Just before reading the CT Letters to the editor on Monday, I had a brief telephone conversation with my husband, who is working on a building site. He had been awake since 5am and on-site since 6am. When I spoke to him at 1.30pm, he had been flat out all day doing incredibly hard physical work with no rest breaks or food. Someone had offered to get him a coffee but never did.

Then I read John Passant's letter expressing concern about building site injuries and deaths and "those bosses and their organisations who put profit before people". John, this is exactly what happens every day on virtually every local building site and has been happening for many years.

There is pressure from the client to get the job done in an unrealistic amount of time, and pressure from the contractor to save money with as few men and as little equipment as possible. Protecting the health of the workers doesn't fit with either occupational or masculine norms. Workers know that if they complain, they will be replaced – and "real men" don't admit that they are hungry, sore, and totally fatigued.

The sad truth is that workers in the construction industry are treated as dispensable and disposable, and the bosses do, unfortunately, get away with it.

Name and address withheld by request

Essential maintenance in Canberra's suburbs is indeed being sadly neglected, argue Trevor Willis and Timothy Walsh (Letters, May 18 and 23). Monitoring and enforcement of compliance with a wide range of important standards and regulations is also woefully deficient.

In my experience, the responsible officials are for the most part keen to do their jobs but are starved of resources. The resourcing of the government's day job is a very low priority: our local ministers are completely distracted by the shiny new light train set.

The ACT Territories and Municipal Services Directorate (dull day jobs) has just been amalgamated with Capital Metro (sparkly light rail). The Capital Metro head is to be director-general of the amalgamated body. No prizes for guessing which way the funds will flow.

Maggie Indian, Turner

While TAMS has placed an extended curfew with heavy associated penalties on local residents entering the nature reserve, to safeguard against any potential risk of danger from the overnight kangaroo cull shooters, a new and even greater risk has been identified, which I fear TAMS might have overlooked!

When walking my dog on Sunday morning in the reserve, I came across, and managed to photograph, well-known local identity Ned, the neighbourhood kangaroo, in an enraged and hostile state. Ned was armed and appeared to be taking aim at me in his carefully concealed ambush position just north of the water storage tank behind the Mackenzie Street entrance.

I managed to make a safe exit, luckily without Ned taking a shot. I expect Ned might have recognised either me or my dog when his real anger in fact focused on the professional shooters contracted by TAMS. All walkers game enough to breach the TAMS curfew should take care not to carry anything that Ned might mistake for a gun!

Peter Kelly, Hackett

I had no issue with the article "Restrictions on silencers set to be simplified as roo cull looms" (May 23, p1) until the paragraph starting "According to TAMS, a suppressed firearm has less recoil". A firearm suppressor has nothing to do with moderating recoil.

There are a variety of methods to moderate recoil, including mechanical, hydraulic, and gas mechanisms in the butt, under or over the barrel, and, of course, especially at the end of the barrel.

The real reason to use suppressors is to kill more prey more quickly without them knowing. If we are going to change the laws to allow more and more silencers out in the public based on deceitful expressions such as that one by TAMS, we are in for a lot of trouble with wanton killings of native animals, livestock, and even humans.

Peter V. Farrelly, Florey

Addressing the North Canberra Community Council on May 17, Capital Metro head Emma Thomas said the present value of the tram contract's availability payments was $950 million. Additionally, the government will pay $375 million on completion, which has a present value of about $355 million. Hence, the total contract cost is $1.305 billion in 2016 dollars. This includes 20 years of operational costs, which the business case estimated at an annual average $22.2 million in 2014 dollars, or about $22.9 million in 2016 dollars.

Subtracting 20 years of operational costs from the contract costs leaves the construction cost (including financing and profit) of about $848 million in 2016 dollars, a figure that the government has worked hard to disguise by focusing on the consortia's construction cost of $710million, a largely irrelevant figure. At least a further $70 million has and will be spent on the Capital Metro Agency and for acquisition of land and construction of the Dickson interchange, giving a total construction cost of about $914 million in 2016 dollars.

In the Canberra Times of June 11, 2014, then chief minister Katy Gallagher was reported as drawing a line in the sand for the cost of the project at $614 million in 2011 dollars, which is about $678million in 2016 dollars. This "line in the sand" must be reconciled against the now revealed $914 million project cost (excluding operations), a blowout of $236 million or 35 per cent on the maximum price countenanced just two years ago. For context, $236 million is the cost of treating more than 40,000 patients at Calvary Hospital. Furthermore, the business case's exaggerated yet still marginal benefit cost ratio was based on a 75 per cent probability of the cost being less than $810 million in 2016 dollars.

Kent Fitch, Nicholls

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has apologised to those convicted of the crime of homosexuality in the past. Can we now expect that they will do the same for those convicted of sheep stealing or speeding on penny farthings?

Revisionist history is a dangerous thing as it panders to minority groups with loud voices.

We should not revise history because of a 21st century distaste for 19th century law. The law is the law. It may be an ass, but it is still the law.

Ian Jannaway, Monash

As a retired physician, I applaud your leading article "Future of health and mankind" (Times2, May 23, p2), with a few reservations.

1) In the present trend towards gender equality, the article should have been entitled "The future of health and humankind", women having a longer life expectancy and being the frontline of home and hospital carers from infancy onwards.

2) Dr Hajkowicz rightly stresses the importance of co-operation between humans and medical technologies, but warns against undue reliance on automation, robots and other mechanical gadgets which can "dehumanise" healthcare and place wealth acquisition at the top of the skills pyramid.

3) It is disappointing that the article focuses on disease management rather than on the less expensive health-promoting preventive medicine, the bedrock of which is the general practitioner and his/her practice nurse, through inoculation against infectious diseases, advice on healthy lifestyle management and simply listening.

The inaugural president of the first postwar conference on medical education in 1945 was the much-loved neurosurgeon Sir Geoffrey Jefferson, who stated "Patients are people. The student must learn who these people are, how they have conducted their lives and how they have come to be sick. Call this psychosomatic medicine, sociology or what you will. The things that are newest are the names".

4) Your comment on Paul and Anne Ehrlich's The Population Bomb, published in 1968, may be overly optimistic, with progressively increasing global temperatures, consequent climate disruption, heat waves, rising sea levels, droughts, floods and loss of biodiversity threatening human food and water supplies in this anthropocene era.

Bryan Furnass, Hughes

TO THE POINT

The Canberra Times wants to hear from you in short bursts. Email views in 50 words or fewer to

letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au

BULK-BILLING FOR ALL

Why isn't everybody bulk-billed? All Australians could be, if everybody paid their fair share/rate of tax.

Annie Lang, Kambah

The basic fact about medical science is that the state cannot afford to offer all of its citizens the most advanced treatments and drugs available.

Gary J. Wilson, Macgregor

FALSE ASSUMPTION

Why does Lyn Parkinson (Letters, May 23) presume that the loud explosions she believes she heard have anything to do with "kangaroo cull protesters"? Why would people who work to save animals set off loud explosions which terrify both native and domestic animals?

Mike O'Shaughnessy, Spence

UNWISE MOVE

A bit of advice to striking garbage collectors. We could manage with a collection fortnightly. That would probably save us money etc through our rates.

Barry Maher, Richardson

SPOT THE DIFFERENCE

Could someone please inform me what is the difference between a "bomb" and an "improvised explosive device" (IED). Also when and where did the term IED originate?

Brian Brocklebank, Bruce

IF YOU CAN'T BEAT 'EM

I was appalled (but not very surprised) yesterday to read about criminals trying to buy political favours ("Gangland lawyer cultivated top Libs", May 23, p1), and then to watch Four Corners' report on political corruption. Perhaps those of us who long for a fair society and honest governance could start a crowd-funding website and buy our own pollies.

Barbara Fisher, Cook

NO VOTE FROM ME

Another factor in the election will no doubt be the many Coalition voters like myself who do not want to reward Peter Hendy for his treachery towards Tony Abbott. So I'll be voting "informal".

Dave Eriksson, Jindabyne, NSW

THINKING LIMITED

Christopher Pyne stated in an interview with Sky News that "It's nice to be a part of the strategic thinking group of the Coalition. I didn't know it existed." Mr Pyne is not alone in questioning the existence of strategic thinking in the Coalition. On the same day, Treasurer Scott Morrison had to admit a very embarrassing large error in his calculation of Labor spending commitments.

Tony Judge, Woolgoolga, NSW

The only black hole I see is in this government's heart.

John Passant, Kambah

Email: letters.editor@canberratimes.com.au. Send from the message field, not as an attached file. Fax: 6280 2282. Mail: Letters to the Editor, The Canberra Times, PO Box 7155, Canberra Mail Centre, ACT 2610.

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